Help with recording from my sound card!

[Boy Wunda]

I need a bit of help with my recording...(sorry to be so lengthy)

I have a few recording problems:

1.) Well I have one of those built-in-to-the-tower sound cards and whatever mic I use there is this noisy signal that keeps getting mixed in with the vocals. I have tried two different mics and both have this same problem. I was reading a web page and it explained that this noise is probably originating from the crappy mic pre-amp in the sound card and I think they are probably correct. When I adjust the Eq it appears that this problem is a part of the 12Khz range (I believe). Now I want to purchase a different sound card but not one the specialized "studio" sound cards like Darla or Gina, I just want a cheap alternative that would elimanate that awful sound when I record. What type of sound card would you guys recommend, one of those $30 Yamaha cards Dragon is always talking about....let me know.

2.) The other problem is that I bought a Dynamic Mic but in addition to that awful noise (as in part one, this is the other mic I used) the audio levels are too low. I bought the radio shack XLR to 1/8" adapter/transformer and a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter to connect to the sound card just to make sure the impedance levels were matching and mic could be attached but the same problem occured. This same web page was telling me that I probably need a good mic pre-amp or a mixer that would act like a mic pre-amp. Firstly do you guys agree that this is probably the problem and if so which one would you recommend the pre-amp or the mixer, I am thinking the mixer would be more versatile in the long run and could be used for other application in the future....give me your feedback please.


Boy Wunda

 

[specs]

I still new but have read a lot of post in regards to this and I think most would say you can get by with the mixer for now but you will need a pre amp also.

As for the soundcard I think a soundblaster pro live is the name for the card your looking for. If I'm wrong I will be corrected, I'm sure.
Specs

 

[specs]

Oh and welcome to the BBS!

 

[Gidge]

obviously you are going into the MIC IN on the soundcard.....what you need is some type of preamp to bring the mic up to line level, and then go into the LINE IN.....a Soundblaster card may be a tad better than your onboard card, but depending on which one you have, it won't be as drastic as you would imagine...just using a preamp and going into the LINE IN will solve most of your problems...from there, moving up to a prosumer type card like the Delta's, Aardvark's, and Echo's will be the only drastic sound improvement.....

now i did say "some type of preamp"...which means that if you cant afford $89 for an Art Tube MP (hint hint), you can plug the mic into a guitar amp, and go from the line out into the LineIN of the soundcard....maybe even an effects processor would have some preamp in it...any gear like thislying around?....

even with another soundcard, the preamp issue will come up so best thing is to get some sort of preamp and try it with your existing card.....i would go with the Art preamp over a mixer now, because even if you think a mixer would be more versatile, unlessyou arer willing to put out a few hundred dollars, you wont get the quality of preamp in it thatyou will getout of the Art...there will always be a place in your studio for the Art.....

 

[Boy Wunda]

But what if?

Thanks for the great advice...I will adhere to it. But what if this sound card I have doesn't have a LINE IN? It has 3 jacks two of which give out audio but one is louder than the other so i'm guessing that one is the SPEAKER output and one is a LINE OUT. The other one then is the MIC IN. I guess now my best course of action would be to purchase a new sound card huh? Oh yeah I can afford the Art Tube MP.


Boy Wunda....

I have a few more questions too about what makes vocals sound best in a recording

 

[Gidge]

Do you have any idea what soundcard or chip it as?....I havent often see a soundcard that doesnt have a LINE IN....what model computer do you have?.....are the 3 jacks labeled,colored,somethin?.....

 

[Boy Wunda]

The mysterious sound card

Well the name of the manufacturer is C-Media and I think the chip ID is CMI8738/C3DX. The jacks are colour coded yes. Sort of late tonight but I think the colours are green, purple and yellow. If you need the correct order let me know. So what do you think? Thanks alot for your help too


Boy Wunda